title: Skin decontamination cream for radiological contaminants: Formulation development and evaluation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased use of the radioactive materials in the field of research, medical, nuclear power plant, and industry has increased the risk of accidental exposure. Intentional use of the radioisotopes by terrorist organizations could cause exposure/contamination of a number of the population. In view of the accidental contamination, there is a need to develop self-usable decontamination formulations that could be used immediately after contamination is suspected.
  
  
  METHODS
  Present work was planned to optimize and develop self-usable radiation decontamination cream formulation. Various pharmaceutical parameters were characterized. (99m)Tc-sodium pertechnetate was used as radiocontaminant. Static counts were recorded before and after decontamination using single photon emission computed tomography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Decontamination efficacy of the cream was found to be 42% ± 3% at 0-0.5 h after the exposure. Primary skin irritancy test was satisfactory as no erythema or edema was observed visually after 2 weeks of the formulation application.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The decontamination studies proved the potential of EDTA to remove the radiological contaminants effectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jamia Hamdard, Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Abdul Wadood
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Sabna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kotta
authors.forename: Sudha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rana
authors.forename: Shahid Husain
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ansari
authors.forename: Rakesh Kumar
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Javed
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ali
keywords: Cream; decontamination; decontamination factor; efficiency; radio-isotope